The witnesses said a group of militiamen approached the two women, employees of Doctors Without Borders, as they drank tea Tuesday at a shop in the city of Bossaso, Garowe Online reported Wednesday.

The women, who were traveling alone, were taken into a vehicle by the militiamen and transported to an undisclosed location, the witnesses said.

The kidnappings came the day after Gwen Le Gouil, a French TV reporter, was released by his Somalian captors eight days after he was kidnapped. Independent sources in Bossaso said a $120,000 ransom was paid for the reporter's release.